The gates didn't creak. They boomed. Ancient stone parting with a slow, deliberate exhale.
The King's mansion was more like a fortress swallowed by an opera house. Mana wards buzzed faintly above every threshold, and glamour spells curled through the marble like veins.
Inside, the air was cold. Clean. The kind of cold that came from control, not absence.
Footsteps tapped against obsidian tile. Julius's fire mana crackled beside me—irritated, flickering higher near his collarbone.
Kate's aura bumped his playfully. "You're wound up."
"We've barely talked in months," he muttered. "Ever since the whole Ætherbound. Training. Assignments. Escort rotations. I miss when we just… hung out."
Kate huffed softly. "Yeah. Same. Back when you had bad hair and I used to beat you at cards."
"I let you win."
"You were crying."
"Lies."
My smile stretched. It all started with them two after all. If they didn't protect after the cave i would have likely been killed.
A voice, behind us: "At least you two are used to this noble crap. I feel so outta my element here, it makes me wanna fight someone."
Rōko.
Her mana buzzed like taut wire, always on edge, always ready to snap toward something instead of away.
William pushed her lightly "Miss samurai can't handle golden walls huh?"
"Don't think i'm scared of threatening a prince."
Fay laughed." You should be fine, we're not with the elves. No one will lock you up here."
We stepped into the first sparring chamber.
And I stopped breathing.
The space was massive. Wards everywhere. Twelve concentric circles of polished quartz and white stone, each one more reinforced than the last. You could stage a war in here and still have room for a cabin.
Rōko let out a long breath. "You could fit a whole village in here."
Kate elbowed her. "You say that like you didn't just say that this rich stuff gives you the creeps."
"…I could renovate the east wing and make it not look so noble, that way people would actually like it here."
Salem's mana hovered just behind me, quiet and searing.
Then—
It hit.
A sudden thread of pressure, slicing clean through the air.
A projectile. Fast.
Too fast.
Time skipped a beat.
Something was coming for me.
I didn't flinch.
But Salem moved.
Her mana roared beside me—a hurricane of shadow and force. Her arm snapped out and caught the incoming object with a sound like thunder hitting bone.
Stone split. Magic crackled.
A spear.
infused with mana. Heavy. Weighted for velocity and intention.
And Salem had caught it. Inches from my face.
Silence.
Then her voice, sharp as cut obsidian:
"Who the hell do you think you are?"
A new outline stepped forward. Tall, lean. No hesitation in her stance. Her aura was tight, contained, but burning bright—fire affinity. I could feel the heat against my skin even from here.
She spoke with a smooth, unimpressed drawl.
"I am Malenia. One of the Ætherbound."
Her mana flared. Not as violently as Salem's. But precise.
"I just wanted to see if the blind prodigy is really that impressive," she continued, voice sharp and amused. "But it seems like she couldn't even perceive my spear."
I stepped forward before anyone else could speak.
"My guard was down," I snapped. "And I would've caught it either way, idiot."
Malenia's smile—I could feel the shift in her mana. Amused. Testing.
Salem moved. Not to hide me. Just forward.
"I can tell you're strong, Malenia," she said calmly, deadly.
"If I had to guess? Human. Fire affinity. Mid-twenties. A lot of experience. You've fought devils before. I feel like you were an interrogator. You don't scare easily."
Her voice dropped.
"But if you ever try to touch Annabel again, I will rip out your heart and feed it to you."
There was no metaphor in it. Just truth.
Malenia tilted her head. "Typical demon," she said coolly. "Always pulling organs."
Salem didn't flinch. Didn't blink.
But the air thickened.
Until Julius stepped between them—mana surging bright, fire coiling around him like a rising sun.
"Enough."
His voice wasn't angry. It was final.
"You want to fight? You've got three days. Until then, this is not the place. Kings are walking. Guests are watching. You're Ætherbound. Act like it."
His fire crackled, hotter than Malenia's. He meant every word.
"I already have to babysit idiots like Lumos," he added, dry. "Don't make me file two incident reports today."
Malenia's aura retracted slightly. Not in defeat. Just acknowledgment.
She turned.
"I'll see you in the ring, till then. Blind prodigy."
Her footsteps vanished into the hall.
Silence.
Then—
"Man," Alven laughed from the back, his outline flickering with mirth, "Salem, you're terrifying."
She didn't respond. But I felt the blush in her mana. Soft. Stubborn.
Alven kept going. "I'm sure you would've won that, by the way."
A pause.
"I mean. I would know."
Kate choked back a laugh.
"Oh right," Fay said sweetly. "The first school day incident."
"I tripped."
"You screamed."
"I'm sensitive!"
"She scarred you for life."
"Yea well at least i survived. I don't think i can say the same for Malenia if she's planning on fighting annabel in that spar."
Rōko whistled low. "I agree. Salem felt a lot stronger than her even if she's Ætherbound, must be a bottom ranker."
"Annabel's spear-dodging record has been reset now, she would've parrished" Kate added.
"Annabel would have killed her or close to it, she was already channeling a portal to send the spear back right into her stomach," Julius mumbled.
"You read me that easily?" I said kinda shocked
"You might be older and stronger Little Terror, but i'm still someone who taught you a bunch of stuff."
I smiled at him, he's gotten a lot stronger even more than his mana let's on
⸻
We turned again. Toward another set of doors—carved heavier, thicker. Regal.
The kings were waiting beyond them.
But for now, all I could feel was the warmth of Salem's hand, ghosting near mine.
Close enough to catch me.
Always
The room we were led into had the weight of centuries pressed into its walls.
Not through dust or ruin—but intention. Every tile hummed with reinforcement sigils. Every step echoed under vaulted ceilings and hanging spells that moved like oil on water.
Three mana signatures anchored the space.
Each unique. Each overwhelming.
To the left, a mana like layered starlight—clean, precise, ancient. The King of Elves: Beren Falren. Calm, focused. But old in the way mountains were. William's father.
To the right, rougher, lower to the ground. Like molten iron cooling over stone. Gimli Earthshale, Dwarven King. His presence was solid. Unshakable. A fortress in a beard.
At the center: brightness wrapped in lion's heat. Hadrian Marelt, Human King. His lion bond stalked beside him, hot mana rippling in time with his heartbeat. A ruler used to battle—and theater.
We entered.
I bowed immediately, out of reflex. So did Kate, Fay, Rōko, Alven. Julius did it more like a soldier. Clean, crisp.
Salem did not bow.
Instead, her mana surged.
"I don't care if she's Ætherbound," she said, low and sharp. "Keep Malenia in check. Or I will."
The kings paused.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then Beren's voice—measured. "We offer you our apologies, Salem. Malenia will be spoken to."
King Gimli gave a low grunt. "She's reckless, that one. Strong, yes. But reckless."
Salem didn't relax.
But she stepped back.
William didn't bow. He walked.
Straight to his father.
"Father."
"Will."
Their hug wasn't loud, but I felt it—their mana harmonizing, briefly, like a memory remembered at the same time.
Rōko whispered beside me, "Always weird seeing a royal act like a person."
"Shhh," Julius muttered.
Fay snorted.
Hadrian's voice carried across the room. "Let's move to business, shall we? The spar."
I tilted my head slightly. "So… who do you want me to fight?"
"You'll be representing the outsider class of Ætherbound," Beren said. "A show of strength. A glimpse of potential."
"I wanna kick Julius's ass," I said flatly.
"Hey—!" Julius started.
Salem's mana flared. "Then I'll stand with her. I'm her bond. That makes it two on two. Put in Malenia."
The room tensed.
"Let's all sit down before someone explodes," Kate said lightly.
"Agreed," Fay added, already walking toward the table.
"Yea I'd rather not burn this place down," Alven murmured.
Chairs pulled back. I found mine by instinct—my hand brushing polished wood, cold and expensive.
We all sat.
Hadrian's voice returned, calm but sharp. "The match will be in three days. A formal demonstration for the noble class. Not the general public."
I frowned. "Why not?"
"Security," Beren said smoothly.
"Chaos," Gimli grunted.
"But we're here to protect the weak," I said. "If only nobles see us, what's the point? They're already strong. It doesn't make sense."
A pause.
Then King Hadrian laughed—low and full, like someone honestly surprised.
"You're too good for this world, Annabel," he said warmly. "Ever since I met you on your tenth birthday, you haven't changed."
"She tried to kick me back then, too," Julius muttered.
"I agree with your sentiment," Hadrian said. "But it would be a logistical nightmare. Three kingdoms. Thousands of guests. If we make it public…"
"It would turn into a riot," Gimli finished.
"Still dumb," I said. "But I get it."
Across the table, Rōko crossed her arms. "So I don't get to fight?"
Hadrian chuckled. "Lincoln didn't tell us about anyone besides Annabel and her bond. Apologies Rōko"
"Its fine although I should be," she said. "Guess I'll just plunder this building, eat all the food, and insult nobles instead."
King Beren let out a quiet breath. "Like a true samurai merchant, eh?"
Rōko grinned. "Damn right."
The mood eased.
Small talk stretched between us like thread.
Fay asked about the healing tents they were setting up. Which would be done by Lirael and Dr.Lorre. Kate requested clarification on the arena wards. William and his father exchanged updates about border diplomacy. And his future role for wars to come.
And I just sat in the center of it all.
Listening.
Feeling.
The kings stood at last.
Hadrian spoke again. "For now, you are all our guests. Make yourselves at home. Rest. Train. The mansion is open to you."
"There are maids stationed in every wing," Beren added. "They are not slaves. They are paid and respected."
"They can help you with food, clothes, practice dummies, or your laundry," Gimli said, blunt. "Use them well and tip them good they deserve it."
"And Annabel," Hadrian said gently, "we do expect a spar that is both respectful… and entertaining."
"I can't promise anything," I said.
"But I'll try."
Their footsteps echoed as they departed—three mana storms moving in three directions.
Leaving only us.
And the promise of a fight.